Coal-mining machine



June 3i 1926.

A J. MASON COAL MINING MACHINE Filed 001:. 25, 1922 4- Sheets-Shee't 1 WWNW June n 1926.. 1,587,396 A. J. MASON COAL MINING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1 1926.

A. J. MASON COAL MINING MACHINE 4 Shets-Sheet 5 June 1 1926.

A. J. MASON COAL MINING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June l, 1926;

i H E? E STATES ARTHUR J. MASON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAL-MINING MACHINE.

Application filed October 25, 1922; Serial No. 596,758.

My invention relates to certain new and useful lmprovements 1n coal mining machines and 18 fully described and explained in the specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the.ma-

chine; Fig. 2 is a plan; Fig. 3 is a side eleand Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9, of Fig. 3. I

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a track such as is commonly employed in coal mining and upon which run cars, adapted to receive coal, one of which is shown at 11. On the track 10 is a rear truck 12 and a front truck 13, provided wit-h appropriate motors by which they may be driven along the track. The trucks are respectively pivoted byking bolts to a longitudinally extendingplate 14, which is centrally perforated and forms a'car body or frame. 15 is a front supporting-plate and 16 is a rear supporting-plate which overlap each other and are mutually pivoted as shown and which 'at their opposite ends ride on slide plates 17 and 18 respectively, said plates being carried by the opposite ends of the plate 14. The front and rear supporting plates 15 and 16 carry hinges 19 and 20 which serve to support theconveying mechanism. The two halves of the conveying mechanism'presently to be described,carry turning motors 21 and 22 provided with sheaves and cables and 24, which run on angles 25 and 26 attached to the plate 14. As

either of the motors 21 and 22 is driven, the attached sheave winds itself'along the cable, thus forcibly drawingthe corresponding half of the conveying mechanism sidcways with reference to the plate 14, and causing the corresponding supporting plates l5. and 10 to swing about the pivotal connection formed in the overlapping parts of these plates, In this way either end of the convcylug mechanism can be lndepennism is carried by a frame 27.

central opening therein.

dently partially rotated about a vertical center concentric with the central opening in the plate 14.

The rear part of the conveying mecha- This conveyor is of the ordinary apron type of the form shown and driven by an appropriate motor 28. The conveyor is pivoted to the hinges 20 forvertical oscillation.

The frame of the front conveyor is indicated by 29, and it is similarly pivoted for vertical oscillation on the hinges 19. Both the conveyor sections are much heavier at their outer'ends than at their ad jacent ends, and to cause one part largely to counterbalance the other, they are connected by links 30 and 31 with a longitudinally extending walking beam 32 pivoted on a transverse horizontal pivot carriedby the plate 14 immediately below the for the purposes of moving the device considerable distances on the tracks to raise the front end of the front section, the front end of the rear section can be elevated and blocked up thus holding the front part of the front section free from engagement with the track on the mine floor, and at the same time depressing the rear end of the rear section so that it will more readily clear overhead obstructions.

If it is desired The frame 29' of the front section carries an ordinary apron conveyor 33 appropriately.. driven and running over a front shaft 33, The apron delivers the coal upwards and backwards and drops it on the front of the rear section which in turn conveys it into the car, all in an obvious manner; a hopper 34 guiding the coal to the rear conveyor. Since the two conveyor sections rotate in horizontal planes about the same center, and since their two ends are substantially over their mutual. center rotation, the discharge of the'material from the front and rear conveyor continues properly with the sections in varying angular positions such as are often required in actual work.

The unbalanced weight of the front end of the front conveyor section (amounting to about 1,000 pounds) is carried by a shoe 35 pivotally mounted on the shaft over which the front end of the front conveyor the shoe 36 by downwardly turned fian'ges runs. The shoe has an inclined web 36 extending across the width of the conveyor and two downwardly turned flangesat the ends which ride on the mine floor. The pivotal mounting of this shoe permits it to conform to changes in the angle of the mine floor. Overlying the forward end of the shoe is a reciprocating shoe 37 guided on 38 on its edges, terminating at a sharp edge at the front and, provided with a plurality of teeth 39 shouldered on their rear faces to form barbs. In operation the reciprocating shoe 37 is violently driven forward underneath the coal to be excavated and relatively I placementthereof.

The reciprocating shoe 37 is connected by links 40 with reciprocatingbars 41. These.

bars are adapted to be struck violently by the forward movement of rams 42, the forward ends of which .engage directly with the rear ends of the reciprocating bars so as to strike a hammer blow when reciprocated by the mechanism presently to be described. The rams carry between their forward ends a cross shaft 43 which runs in slots in the frame and which is surrounded by slotted links 44 of considerable length, the forward ends of which are carried by the rear ends of the reciprocating bars 41. On rearward movement of the rams to the position shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 3 (about 18 inches),

the cross shaft 43 moves back idly nearly to the end of its movement, whereuponit picks up the ends of the slotted links 44 and withdraws the reciprocating bars 41 and shoe 37 for a short distance, i. e., from the piston shown in solid to that shown indotted lines (about 8 inches). While the shoe is thus withdrawn only a short distance, the rams are withdrawn much farther so that when they advance they acquiremomentum and strike a hammer blow on the ends of the reciprocating bars thus violently driving the shoe 37 forward. 311 l The rams are'spring pressed forward by. heavy springs 45 which impart to them their .forward impetus. They' are retracted by the mechanism best shown at the right hand end of Figs, 3 and 4. 46 is a shaft rotated by an appropriate motor. The rear ends of the rams are link connected by links 47 to this shaft so as to swing only in. arcs of circles of which the shaft is the center. The shaft is provided on its two ends with diametrical arms 48 carrying rollers 49. The reciprocating bars are provided with flat cam surfaces on their rear lower faces, and just in front of these surfaces are curved seats 51. The rotation of the shaft 46 carrying the arms 48 causes engagement between the rollers 49 and the cam surfaces 50 thus elevating the ends of the rams and causing them, through their link connection with the shaft, to swing in a concentric arc upwards and backwards. The rollers presently run into the 'seats 51 exerting a more directly backward pressure and finally, by continued-rotation, run out of the seats and free the rams which are forcibly drawn forward-bythe springs 45.

In order to cushion the forward movement of the rams when the machine is with-.

drawn and the shoe 37 is notmeeting with resistance from the material operated upon by it, the rams are provided ontheir lower faces with notches 52 which are engaged by hooks 53 spring pressed upward by springs 54 and at their rear ends surrounded by compression springs 55 abuttin'g against stationary plates 56 running through slots in the hooks and carried by the frame of the machine. These hooks are idle except when the rams reach the full. forward limit of their possible movement in which case they cushion about the last inch of forward movement thereof, and thus prevent destructive jars to the mechanism. Whentheshoe is working, as is presently to be described, it is in engagement with the material operated upon and itself takes up the force of the rams and arrests their movement before the hooks 'come into action. I

The mechanism is housed appropriately, the housing, except that provided at the front of the front conveyor section, requiring no detailed description. The housing at the front of the front conveyor has depending plates 57 on the two sides, pivotally mounted 011 the shaft 33 which carriesthe front end of the front conveyor section, and

these plates depend substantially to the floor level. Their rear lower. ends are connected by a curved cross plate 58 W11 3h rests on the floor and carries the weight of the shoe and which, owing .to its curvature, slides freely as the front end of the conveyor is swung sideways; and, because of the pivotal.-

mounting, can follow any changes in inclination of the mine floor. This part of the housing serves to prevent coal in which the front of the conveyor will often be buried, from lodging under the front conveyor section, so as either to interfere with the free withdrawal of the machine or to be drawn in and bind under the extreme front end of the conveyor.

Appropriate clutches and motor controls slowly retracted to rake out the coal.

The machine, although it can be used for,

the handling of other material, is primarily designed for handling coal which has been under cut and shot according to present practice. The ordinary operation of the under cutting machine leaves a space under the-coal of from 4 to 5 inches in depth,

but the lowersurface of this space is more.

or less littered with small particlesand dust which is the product ofthe under "cutting machine. When the coal is shot it isj q'ui't'e thoroughly broken up and in the mainfalls' down and rests on the mine floor, its cracks being such that it normally expands enough. to take up the space formed by the undercutting machine, being apparently quite solid, yet in fact, so loosened as to have taken up the extra 4 inches represented by the under cut. There is usually a very distinct crack under the coal body where the mass of the coal is supported by the-small particles and dust left by the under-cutting machine. It is at this crack between the loosened coal body and the mine floor that the sharp edge of the reciprocating shoe 37 is directed. The machine. is run forward under its own power until the shoe engages the line between the coal and the mine floor where this crack usually exists,

and power is maintained to keep the machine constantly pressed forward. The conveyor aprons are started, and at the same time the mechanism for reciprocating the shoe is set in motion. The shoe is thus driven under the coal by powerful hammer blows and is retracted at relatively slower speed. The result of this operation is that the teeth in the shoe constantly rake the lower surface of the coal backw'ards,being driven under much as a cold chisel would. be driven under with powerful blows and As a result of this movement, the shoe scrapes for itself a space under the coal, each forward advance drawing more coal over the shoe and crowding that previously removed of the coal and the jarring of the whole mass causes the superimposed coal to fall down, and most of-it falls directly onto the conveyor up which it passes very rapidly. The reciprocation of the shoe and the backward dragging action of its teeth are of great-importance in dealing with coal in the mine, where the roof prevents'the coal from being bodily lifted, and so the coal at the lower edge should be removed to make .room for the entrance of the conveyor into the mass. Ther may, however, be'condit1ons where this .retractive action 1s of less importance, particularly in cleaning up coal which has already fallen down and lies as in a talus slope. Under'su ch conditions the violent hammer blows 011 the shoe afford "a particularly simple means for advancing the conveyor, but the teeth or shoulders would be relatively unimportant.

The present machine works at great speed, is thoroughly robust and fitted for severe service." It possesses the necessary flexibility to be moved conveniently in a mine and...

its height is such that it can behandled in the more important mines now in opera-- tion without interference with the roof.

I realize thatccnsiderable variation is possible inthe details of the construction hercin shown, and I do not intend to limit myself thereto, except as pointed out in the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the device as broadly as is permitted by the state of the art.

in front of the conveyor and inclined down to the floor level, and means for driving the shoe by successive blows underneath the material to make way for the advance of the conveyor.

2. In combination, a shoe, the front edge of which is adapted to enter under a body of material, and which is provided with a shoulder adjacent the front edge, and means for forcibly advancing the shoe at highspeed beneath the material and" for retracting the same at lower speed. f

3. In combination, a shoe, the front edge of which is adapted to enter under a body of material and -which is provided with a shoulder adjacent the front edge, means for forcibly advancing the shoe at high speed beneath the material and for retracting the same at lower speed, and conveying means to the rear of the shoe to receive the material therefrom and convey it to the rear.

4. In comb1nat1on,'a conveying device inclining upward from the floor level, a thln edged shoe in front of the conveying device adapted to lie on the floor, a pair of springpressedrams adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, and means for repeatedly withdrawing the rams and shoe to the rear and releasing the same to permit them to advance the shoe powerfully under the coal.

5. In combination, a conveying device inclining upward from the floor level, a thin edged shoe in front of the conveying device provided with a shoulder back of its .edge and adapted to lie on the floor, a pair of spring-pressed rams: adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, and means for repeatedly withdrawing the rams and shoe to the rear and releasing'the same to permit them' to advance the shoe powerfully under the coal.

6. In combination, a conveying device inclining upward from the floor level, a thin edged shoe in front of-theconveying device adapted to lie on-the floor, a pair of springprcssedrams adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, a rotatable device having means for engaging the'rams to repeatedly withdraw the rams to the rear, and by continuous movement, release the same to be impelled forward to engage theshoe.

7. In combination, a conveying device inclining upward from the floor level, a thin edged shoe in front of the conveying device provided with a shoulder back of 1ts edge and adapted to lie on the floor, a pair of spring-pressed rams adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, a rotatable device having means for engaging the rams to repeatedly withdraw the rams to the rear, and by continuous movement, release the same to be impelled forward to engage the shoe.

8. In combination, a car frame, two conveying devices thereon overhanging the car frame at opposite ends, the forward conveyor being adapted to discharge onto the rear conveyor, means for swinging each conveyor on a vertical pivot to maintain proper feed relation for the material from one to the other and to permit the operating end of the front conveyor to be swung from side to side, a reciprocatingshoe in advance of the end of the front conveyor provided with a thin edge adapted to rest on thefloor and means for: forcibly advancing the shoe.

9. In combination, a car frame, two con-' veying devices thereon overhanging the car frame at opposite ends, the forward conveyor being adapted to discharge onto the rear conveyor, means for swinging each con- 1 veyor on a vertical pivot to maintain proper feed relation for the material from one to the other and to permit the operating end of the front conveyor to be sw mg from side to side, a reciprocating shoe is advance of the end of the front conveyor provided with a thin edge adapted to rest on the floor, and with a shoulder back of its edge, and means 10; In combination, a car frame, two conveying devices thereon overhanging the car frame atopposite ends, the forward conveyor being adapted to discharge onto the rear conveyor, means for swinging each conveyor on a' vertical pivot to maintain proper feedrelation for the material from one to the-other and topermit'the operating end of the front conveyor to beswung from side to side, a reciprocating shoe'in advance of the end of the front conveyor provided with a thin edge adapted to rest on the floor, and means for forcibly advancing the shoe and retracting it, the two conveying devices being pivoted for oscillation in vertical planes and being at their adjacent ends mutually connected to a walking beam lever whereby they counterbalance each other.

11. In combination, a car frame with trucks, two plates centrally pivoted to swing about a vertical center, two'conveying dc vices pivotally mounted on said plates to swing in vertical planes thereon, the discharge of the forward conveyor being located over the forward end of the rear conveyor, a walking beam lever pivoted to the car frame and to which the adjacent ends of the conveying devices are mutually pivoted to counterbalance each other, a re-. ciprocable shoe in advance of the front conveyor provided with a thin edge to rest on the mine floor and to be driven under the material and a pair of rams spring-pressed forward and adapted to engage the shoe, and rotatable members provided with rollers to engage the rams to draw the same backward and release the same.

12. In combination, a car frame with trucks, two plates centrally pivoted to swing about a vertical center, two conveying devices pivotally mounted on said plates to swing in vertical planes thereon, the discharge of the forward conveyor being located over the forward end of the rear conveyor, a walking beam lever pivoted to the 'car frame and to which the adjacent ends of the conveying 1 devices are mutually pivoted to counter-balance each other, a reciprocable shoe in advance of the front conveyor provided with athin edge to rest on the mine floor and to be driven under the material and provided with a shoulder back of its edge, a pair of-ramsspring-pressed forward and adapted to engage the shoe, and rotatable members provided with rollers to engage the same to draw the same backward and release the same.

13, In combination, a conveying device having its front adjacent the floor level, a

thin edged shoe in front of the conveying device adapted to' lie at its front edge on the floor, a pair of spring-pressedi'rams adapted to engage the shoeto advance the its edge and adapted to lie with its front edge gn the floor, a pairlof spring-pressed rams adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, a lost motion connection between the rams and shoe whereby the rams retract the shoe near the end of their movement, and means for repeatedly withdrawing the rams to the rear and releasing them whereby they alternately draw back the shoe and drive it forward with a hammer-like blow."

15. In combination, a conveying device inclining upward from the floor level, a thin edged shoe in front of the conveying device adapted to lie on the floor, a pair of spring-- pressed rams adapted to engage the shoe to advance the same, means for repeatedly withdrawing the rams and shoe to the rear and releasing the same to permit them to advance the shoe powerfully under the coal, and meansfor cushioning the rams at'the extreme of their forward movement.

16. In combination, an inclined conveyor,

' a supporting shoe for the front thereof'havciprocating said shoe, a housing pivoted to the conveyor section adjacent its front end depending therefrom and havin a cross plate to provide a laterally ,slidabe support for the housing and adapted by reasonof the pivotal support of the housing to follow" changes in inclination of the floor.

18. In combinatlon, a conveyor. having 1ts front adjacent the floor level, athin edged shoe at the front thereof inclining downward from the end of the conveyor to the floor and adapted to be forced under the material to be moved, means to advance the shoe with reference to the conveyor and to lower its rear edge as it is moved and means vided with a shoulder behind the to advance the conveyor to follow up the advance of the shoe.

19. In combination, a conveyor having its receiving end adjacent the floor level,a receiving shoe inclined downwardly therefrom, a reciprocating shoe thin edged at the front and slidably supported at the rear on said receiving shoe and having its forward edge free to follow the floor and means fol-advancing the reciprocating shoe and for aldvanclng the conveyor to follow up the s oe.

20. The herein described method of introducing the lower-end of a conveyor beneath a body of previously under-cut and shot coal which consists in forcing an inclined shoe under the coal in advance of the 0011- veyor by hammer blows.

21. The herein described method of removing loosened coal previously under-cut and shot which consists in repeatedly forcing a shoe, thin edged at the front and proedge underneaththe loosened body of coal along the smooth surface formed by the under-cutting machine and alternately retracting the shoe to drag back the coal resting upon it.

22. The herein described method of re-. moving loosened coal previously under-cut andshot which consists in repeatedly forcing a shoe, thin edged at the front and provided with a shoulder behind the edge underneath the loosened body of coal along the smooth surface formed by the undercutting machine'and alternately retracting the shoe to drag back the coal resting upon it and conveying away the coal which passes over the rear of the shoe.

23. The herein described method of introducing the lower end of a conveyor beneath a body of previously under-cut and shot coal which consists in forcing an inclined shoe provided with a rearwardly facing shoulder under the coal in advance of the conveyor by hammer blows and alternately retracting the shoe to withdraw the coal immediately upon it.

'24. In combination, a car frame, two cOIiveyors extending therefrom in opposite directions, the front conveyor adapted to remove matter and discharge it to the rear conveyor, means for pivoting said conveyors to maintain substantially continuous alignment between the rear of the front con veyorand the front of the rear conveyor,

motion between the walking beam and the front of therear conveyor, whereby the conveyors counterbalance each other.

W'itness my hand and seal this 3rd day of October, 1922.

ARTHUR J. MASON. [1,. a] 

